The NSC Boxset: Heart of Stone (127 page)

“And who knew Greg had gone?” he asked and I shrugged again.

“Well all Mason’s employees, I would presume, they were all given the command.”

He sighed in thought. “Strange,” he whispered more to himself than me.

I nodded. “It’s like Dane knew he would be there but I don’t see how he would have known. I presume he would have used the cashpoint then moved on knowing he was being hunted. He definitely wouldn’t have dined in La Roche when he knew Mason would have been out looking for him, it’s one of Mason’s haunts and the owner is good friends with him.” I nibbled on my little finger. “I just can’t understand why he hung about for the fifteen minutes it took Greg to get there.”

Elijah frowned in thought. “Ava, I’m gonna do a search of all Mason’s employees, we keep this between ourselves okay?” I nodded gratefully. It was something that I had been turning over in my head for a while and I felt lighter for sharing my suspicions.

I retrieved a bottle of wine from the fridge and a glass from the cupboard. “You want one?” I asked but he shook his head.

“Not while I’m on duty,” he responded distractedly as he worked on his laptop.

I had just placed the bottle and glass on the table when the back door opened and Mason stood there. I gasped and Elijah shot up. “How the hell?” he asked him astounded that he had got past the security.

Mason’s eyes never left mine. “They know me, they both used to work for me,” he told Elijah while he held my gaze.

My body was screaming out for him, my man. Relief and delight coursed through me but the main emotion was anger and rage that he had put me through this nightmare for the last four days. I walked round the table and punched him in the face. His head shot sideways and Elijah gasped.

Mason closed his eyes, took a deep breath and opened them again. “I guess I deserved that,” he said quietly.

“You deserve another one, don’t you ever do that to me again!” I shouted at him. He gulped but nodded then narrowed his eyes.

“I went home and you were gone,” he uttered sternly.

I scoffed. “What the fuck did you expect? That I would wait for you after what you said to me?” I saw Mason’s eyes shift to Elijah and he glared at him. Elijah nodded slightly and disappeared. Mason took a step towards me but I stepped back. “Ava . . .” he warned and my eyes widened on him.

“What the hell do you expect Mason . . . open arms?”

He bit his bottom lip. “I fucked up Ava, I know,” he confessed quietly.

“Well guess what Mason, this time you fucked up by gigantic proportions and we are now officially finished.” I could not believe he expected things to just carry on where they were left.

His face dropped and he stared at me. “Ava, no.” He shook his head and stepped towards me.

“Don’t Mason, don’t fucking touch me,” I hissed but he ignored me and grabbed my arm. I recoiled, flinching harshly at the hurt that flashed across his eyes. “Where the fuck have you been anyway and how many women have you screwed this time?”

He flinched, guilt exploded on his face and my heart clenched. “Oh no, no, no Mason. Not again,” I choked out, “Please, no!”

“Ava . . . I . . . I don’t think I did but I was high and . . . and I . . . well I need to tell you before she does,” he muttered, the pain behind his eyes telling me what he really didn’t need to voice.

I narrowed my eyes on him. “Tell me before who does?” I asked slowly as my stomach tightened in anticipation to what I knew was coming.

“My head was fucked Ava . . . I . . . well, I woke up and she . . . she was there . . . in my bed.”

My blood froze. “Who was?” I asked oh so slowly.

He swallowed heavily. “I need to tell you before she does because I know she will.”

“WHO?” I yelled.

“Rebecca,” he whispered.

A sob tore from my throat and he shook his head rapidly. “I don’t think I did though Ava. I mean I know I was high but I’m positive I didn’t sleep with her baby, in fact I know I didn’t. I think I would know the next morning.”

“DON’T YOU FUCKING CALL ME THAT EVER AGAIN, NOW GET THE FUCK OUT!” I screamed at him.

“Ava no, I’m sorry,” he declared.

I picked up my glass and threw it against the wall. “GET FUCKING OUT YOU BASTARD!” I roared as I shook my head at him.

He closed his eyes in pain but turned and left. I slid down the cupboard and collapsed on the floor. Why did he keep doing this to me? I thought he loved me!

I wept and sobbed as I curled up within myself. I felt myself being dragged onto someone’s lap and arms tightened around me. I looked up to see Elijahs’ pained expression. “Shush Ava, he doesn’t deserve your tears,” he whispered into my hair.

“Why does he keep doing this to me?” I sobbed. “He’s fucking destroying me.”

He stroked his thumb across my cheek, wiping away the tears that fell. “Shush, Ava” he repeated.

My screams turned to sobs then to weeps and then sniffles as Elijah rocked me steadily and rhythmically. My head was rested against his chest and the rhythm of his heart lulled me into relaxation. I sighed deeply.

“Your hair smells amazing,” Elijah said softly. I tilted my head back slightly and looked at him.

“Thank you,” I smirked and his lips lifted on one side.

“Sorry,” he chuckled, “very random.”

I grinned at him and his eyes softened as he gazed at me, his breathing deepened as did my own. I parted my lips and licked them as his eyes dropped to them. He leaned in and brushed over my lips with his as he hovered over me. His warm breath breezed over my mouth whilst he waited for my refusal but he didn’t get one.

My hand slipped into his hair and I pulled his mouth to mine and kissed him, needy and demandingly. He returned it with as much need and passion, slipping his tongue into my mouth and tracing along my teeth with it. A moan rumbled from my throat and he returned it with a long heavy groan as both his hands slid around the side of my face and into my hair.

He deepened the kiss as a hand left my hair and slid down my back to cup my backside. He pulled me further onto him and I could feel his erection straining against his trousers. I swung one leg over him and straddled him. One of his hands slid up my side, over my ribs and he gently embraced my breast. I moaned and pushed myself further into his hand as he started to softly caress and massage me, his thumb stroking over my erect nipple. I slid my crotch over his hard length and he groaned loudly as his mouth left mine and journeyed downwards onto my neck.

“You smell so good Ava. Your scent drives me wild,” he rumbled.

I grabbed his ponytail and pushed him further into my neck as I rocked against him again, harder this time and I heard him hiss, “Fuck, I need to feel you.”

I groaned as his hands parted my robe and swept under my vest and over the bare skin of my breasts. “Oh god,” I moaned as I rubbed on him harder and faster.

He pushed my vest up and gazed at my breasts, his expression full of lust and want. “I need your mouth on my breasts,” I told him, my voice low and carnal.

He sucked in a breath through his teeth then bent down and caressed a nipple with his hot mouth, flicking at it with his tongue and sending sparks down to my pussy. “Jesus Ava, you have beautiful tits,” he breathed against my skin as I frantically rode him over our clothes.

My arousal was peaking and I yanked at his ponytail, pulling his head back so I could latch on to his neck. I moaned loudly as I sank my teeth into him and he growled and grabbed my hips. “Fuck, I need to be inside you,” he snarled and just as I reached down to unzip him, a loud knock came to the door.

“Fuck!” I panted and shot off him, pulling my robe tightly around myself as I turned away from him.

“Shift change,” he informed me and I nodded but didn’t turn round.

What the hell had happened? I had just screamed at Mason for cheating on me even though he had steadfastly denied it and I was practically fucking my bodyguard on the kitchen floor.

“Ava . . .” Elijah said softly but I shook my head.

“No, please go,” I choked out.

I heard him sigh but he left, swapping notes and information with Neo before he closed the door behind him.

“You okay, Ava?” Neo asked suddenly from behind me.

I took a deep breath and plastered a smile on my face and turned to him. “Yep, how are you Neo?”

He eyed me sceptically but finally smiled. “Yeah I’m good.”

I nodded. “Listen, I’ve had a rough day so I’m gonna turn in.”

He frowned at me. “Are you sure you’re feeling all right?”

I nodded again. “Just tired, night.”

I didn’t wait for his reply as I took the stairs two at a time, exploded into my bedroom and collapsed on the bed. I didn’t need this. I had been adamant I wouldn’t let anybody else in but I had been so aroused and past the point of no return that I didn’t stop to think what the huge consequences would be if I had had sex with Elijah. He was my personal guard for God’s sake, I paid him and all his cronies every week and then there was Mason, always there in my mind. I still loved him so much and it was hard to just shut him out, my mind wouldn’t let me shut him out and my body craved him so desperately. My soul hungered for him and my heart ached for him, so painfully. I had tried many times before to stop loving him but I knew I would never stop loving him as long as my lungs drew breath.

CHAPTER 8

I DIDN’T SEE Elijah for the next few days, the shifts were covered by Neo and Frank and I was told Elijah was ill, I highly doubted it but I was grateful for his consideration and discretion.

Monday morning came round quickly and I found myself sobbing as I left my babies in the hands of the nursery nurses who were looking after them both. They reached out to me with their podgy little hands for a Mummy kiss and I sucked gummily on them and then turned quickly and left before they were yanked back out of their carer’s, Hayley, arms.

I climbed back in the car to an amused Neo. “I’m sure they’ll be fine, Ava.” He chuckled at my tear stained face and pulled away from the curb after he waved to a new guy who was put at the nursery to protect my babies, Elijah’s idea. I was indebted to him for his initiative, I could relax knowing they were being watched over.

We pulled into the NSC car park and Neo and I entered the building. I approached Samantha for any mail and messages for Nate.

I heard Neo groan beside me and I glanced at him. “You okay?” I asked with a frown, he nodded slightly towards Samantha.

“Shark with tits,” he mumbled. I frowned and then realisation sunk in and I laughed loudly.

“I didn’t know you knew her,” I said after I calmed down.

He nodded. “Olivia Carter was once my charge and Samantha practically ate me alive every morning,” he divulged and I nodded knowingly.

“Welcome back, Miss Stone,” Samantha greeted me but her eyes were glued to Neo.

“Good morning Samantha, do you have anything for Mr Carter?”

She sighed dreamily at Neo. I stood patiently waiting for her to roll her tongue off the carpet before she even acknowledged my question.

“Oh yes, here.” She practically smacked me with the mail as she struggled to remove her eyes from Neo. “Good morning handsome,” she cooed to him. I couldn’t hold back the snort. Neo slapped me on the leg, his action concealed by the large marble counter. He glowered at her and led me away, his hand at the base of my spine as he virtually propelled me towards the elevator.

I laughed heartily when the doors closed. “I think she might like you,” I chuckled and he rolled his eyes.

“Is she like that all the time?” he asked.

I raised my eyebrows at him, “Do you have a penis?”

He was going to answer but scowled. “Did you really have to ask that?” he chuckled as he gestured to his body with a sweep of his hand.

“You could be a transvestite,” I said frankly and he flung his head back and laughed loudly.

“I can assure you Miss Stone, I am not a transvestite. Would you like me to prove it?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

I slapped him playfully on the chest as the doors opened on our floor. Neo held me back with one hand as he stepped from the elevator and scanned the area. He nodded and stepped out and I greeted Jonathan, the main floor receptionist.

“Morning Hun,” I said and he smiled cheerfully at me.

“Ava, welcome back.” He grinned at me as I held out the cupcake box for him to pick one. “God it’s good to have you back,” he chuckled as he dived into the cake immediately and covered his face with cream.

“It would so serve you right if an important client walked out of the lift right now,” I laughed as I waved to him and made my way down the corridor. I flung my stuff on my desk and went to grab a comfy chair from the conference room for Neo.

“There you are,” I smiled and patted the chair. “You are gonna be sooo bored today,” I said sympathetically as Nate’s voice boomed from his office.

“Miss Stone, get that sexy little ass in here and make my coffee so I can lick your buns!” he shouted.

Neo’s eyes widened massively. “The boss,” I sighed, rolling my eyes with fake disgust at Nate’s behaviour. “Coming, Mr Carter,” I shouted.

“You will be when you feast your eyes on my body,” he quipped back. Poor Neo didn’t know where to look. I tried to stifle the giggle that was threatening to erupt. It was a good job I could handle Nate’s sense of humour. “I hope you are wearing a skirt today Miss Stone, I haven’t managed a sneaky look in four fucking months!” he yelled as he approached his doorway. His face fell and paled as he saw Neo sat in a chair staring at him. I could see him backtracking in his mind what he had just shouted to me and I smirked at him.

“Ooh Mr Carter, you make my heart beat faster and my knickers wet.” I feigned desire with a flutter of my eyelashes.

He smirked at me as he instantly caught on I was winding Neo up. “Oh Miss Stone, my poor eyes have missed the sight of your large breasts heaving against your tight shirts. In my office now and bend over that fucking desk,” he snarled and I bit my tongue to stop the laughter surfacing.

Neo’s eyes swept from Nate to me and back to Nate.

“I love a boss who knows how to treat his lowly employees,” I hummed as I skipped into his office and he followed swiftly behind me, shutting the office door with a growl and a slam.